Harnessing Resilience at Regional and National Levels: Disaster Risk Management Strategies in the Amazon River Basin

The hydrological cycle of the Amazon has significantly intensified over the past two decades, resulting in more frequent and severe flooding and droughts. This has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, with the flood return period decreasing from 20 years during the first half of the 20th century to 4 years since 2000. Temperature anomalies in the tropical Atlantic are partially responsible for the worsening hydroclimatic extremes within the Amazon basin, including interannual rainfall and river variability. These anomalies have the potential to disrupt the precipitation patterns in the basin, leading to more frequent floods and droughts. The impact of these climate extremes is felt in urban settlements in the basin and rural and indigenous communities, depending on their proximity to floodplains, forest, or the Delta Amazon. In recent years, these extreme weather events have resulted in the destruction of homes, bridges, and roads, leading to tragic loss of life and subsequent health issues, including damage to sanitation and drinking water services.  

Effective governance is a key factor in mitigating the risks posed by climate and disasters in the Amazon River Basin. At both national and regional levels, disaster risk governance can help reduce community vulnerabilities and enhance resilience. By focusing on livelihood enhancement, water and natural resource management, sanitation system strengthening, and economic empowerment through risk education, governance can play a significant role in risk mitigation. However, governance gaps, as evidenced in the aftermath of extreme climate events, highlight the need for continuous improvement and the importance of the proposed session/roundtable.

This roundtable aims to facilitate a collaborative dialogue among stakeholders to identify actionable strategies that address governance challenges and enhance community resilience in the Amazon River Basin. By sharing practical experiences and insights, participants will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the necessary steps to improve DRM in the region and for the nations. The session will explore national and regional initiatives aimed at improving disaster risk management in the region, informed by ongoing research conducted by UNU CRIS (led by María Jazmín Chávez Álvarez, Nidhi Nagabhatla, Andrea Ribeiro Hoffmann, and Philippe De Lombaerde).

Opening Remarks

Philippe De Lombaerde

Director, UNU-CRIS

Representative

Brazilian Mission to the European Union 

Keynote

"The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization and Its Role in Fostering Cooperation in the Amazon Basin Countries"

Fábio Borges

Professor, UNILA

Roundtable

María Jazmín Chávez Álvarez

Visiting Research Fellow, UNU-CRIS

Liana Anderson

National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters (CEMADEN), Brazil

Andrés Sánchez

Senior Officer Manager - Americas Water Program, Department of Sustainable Development, Executive Secretariat for Integral Development, Organization of American States

Q&A

Andrea Ribeiro Hoffmann

Associate Professor, Institute of International Relations at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (IRI/PUC-Rio) / Visiting Research Fellow, UNU-CRIS

Closing Remarks

Nidhi Nagabhatla

Senior Research Fellow, UNU-CRIS